Stanford is trying to turn one win into a real run.
Fresh off its homecoming weekend victory over Elon, the Cardinal head into Friday’s matchup with North Carolina State carrying a little more belief and a lot more urgency. At 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC, Stanford has a chance to string together momentum before road trips to Louisville and Virginia Tech in the weeks ahead. If the Cardinal want to stay in the bowl picture, this is the kind of game that can’t slip away.
Junior linebacker Sam Mattingly said the mood around the team has shifted after last week’s win. “Guys are excited. Obviously we know that NC State is a good team… the intensity the last two days of practice… it’s been way up,” he said after Wednesday’s practice.
That edge matters because Stanford is still searching for consistency. The Cardinal finally flashed some rhythm against Elon, but now they face an NC State team that’s coming off a bye after being beaten by Wake Forest on Oct.
- The Wolfpack’s offense stalled in the second half of that game, though the defense still produced standouts in Popo Aguirre and Jackson Vick, who finished with 12 and 8 tackles, respectively.
The biggest offensive question for Stanford remains the ground game, and junior running back Micah Ford is right at the center of it. Ford tied the school record in rushing touchdowns last weekend, and Stanford will try to press an NC State run defense that allows 133 rushing yards per game.
That’s especially important for a Cardinal offense that has leaned heavily on the pass all season, averaging 233 yards through the air compared to just 103 on the ground. Ford has accounted for nearly three-quarters of Stanford’s rushing production by himself.
Ford also showed up on the injury report Wednesday for the first time, though he is listed as probable to play. After Stanford’s win on Saturday, he called the issue from two weeks ago against No.
4 Notre Dame just a “spasm” and said he felt fully recovered after a week. However it’s labeled, Stanford will want him involved if the offense is going to keep moving.
Defensively, the challenge starts with NC State quarterback CJ Bailey. Mattingly didn’t hide his respect for him. “He’s been a good quarterback in this league for a while,” he said, while also backing the game plan the coaches have put together.
Mattingly’s own role has expanded as Stanford adjusts to life without senior linebacker Matt Rose, who was injured in the Sept. 26 win over Georgia Tech and has not played since. Even so, Mattingly made it clear Rose still has a presence in the room. “Rose is still [our] leader… It’s always next man up, that’s what we preach on defense.”
The junior said much of his week now revolves around film and meetings, worked in around classes in the middle of the day. That preparation, he said, is part of why he’s been able to take on more of a leadership role.
Stanford also has to deal with the short turnaround of a Friday game, which squeezes the usual weekly routine. Monday would normally be an off day, but this week’s schedule had to be adjusted.
Mattingly brushed that off. “It kind of looks the same as every other week, starting a day earlier.”
For Stanford, Friday offers a clean chance to get back to .500 and keep the rebuild under new head coach Tavita Pritchard moving in the right direction. Mattingly’s view of the task is simpler than all the surrounding talk. “I think we just come out and execute,” he said.
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NC State Needs A Response And CJ Bailey Knows This Opponent
Friday night brings a quick chance for NC State to steady itself after the loss to Wake Forest, and Stanford is the kind of opponent that can make the trip feel a little less predictable than it looks on paper. The Cardinal have already shown they can punch above their weight this season with an upset of Georgia Tech, even if losses to Wake Forest and Notre Dame have also been part of the picture, so there is enough recent evidence to make this one worth watching closely in ACC play.
For the Wolfpack, the interest starts with CJ Bailey and a matchup he already knows well. Bailey has taken steps forward in his career, even if his start this season has been modest, and NC State will be looking for a cleaner response after last weeks setback. Stanford has already seen Bailey once, which only adds to the intrigue as the Pack try to get back on track and avoid letting a promising start to the conference schedule slip further. [Read more 🡒]
Stanford Faces A Bigger Test Than NC States Record Suggests
Stanford gets one more chance to settle in at home before the calendar turns to a long road stretch, and the Cardinal will need to make it count against a North Carolina State team that looks more dangerous than its record says. Stanford is coming off a win over Elon, where Micah Ford tied a program record for rushing touchdowns, and this matchup arrives with the kind of situational weight that can change how a season feels in a hurry.
It is also the last time Stanford will play at Stanford Stadium until late November, which adds a little extra urgency to a game already shaped by rarity. NC State has had a bye to prepare, brings a solid third-down offense and a defense led by linebacker Popo Aguirre, who is piling up tackles and disruptive plays, so the Cardinal are staring at more than just a 3-3 opponent on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Stanfords New-Look Roster Gets An Early Test In Oregon
Stanfords revamped basketball roster is already getting a feel for how much will be asked of it this season. Kyle Smith enters his third year with a group that looks quite different from the one that won 20 games a year ago, blending eight returners with three transfers and a top-25 recruiting class as the Cardinal begin shaping the 2026-27 campaign. It is a roster built with both immediate help and longer-term upside, especially after a program run that has produced three straight NBA draft entrants, including Ebuka Okorie going 17th overall to the Detroit Pistons.
The early signs, though, show there is still plenty to sort out before the games count. In a recent preseason exhibition against Santa Clara, Stanford fell 83-78, a useful reminder that chemistry and roles will take time to settle with so many new faces in the mix. Julius Price, Anthony Batson Jr. and Christian Bliss each gave the Cardinal a scoring boost, offering a glimpse of the pieces Smith will lean on once the regular season arrives. [Read more 🡒]